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Talks by Catherine

The Science of Happiness

This talk presents both surprising and not-so-surprising information on the science behind happiness. What role do money, marriage, friends, children, weather, age, and religion play in making us feel happier? Is happiness stable over time? How can happiness be increased? Professor Catherine Sanderson will describe cutting-edge research from the field of positive psychology on the factors that do (and do not) predict happiness, and provide participants with practical (and relatively easy!) ways to increase their own psychological well-being.

Many people focus on the importance of cognitive intelligence in predicting academic and professional success. But a growing amount of evidence suggests that other traits - including the ability to control impulses, manage adversity, find internal motivation, and build relationships – are essential in achieving the best outcomes in both personal and professional relationships. This talk will therefore focus on the importance of so-called emotional intelligence (or EQ) in predicting success, and provide specific strategies for increasing your own EQ.

We are bombarded daily by news reports of bad behavior, from sexual harassment in the workplace to racist attacks on public transportation to bullying in schools. Although it’s easy to blame these acts on evil people, it’s far more complicated to understand why so many people fail to speak up in the presence of such behavior and how significant a role this silence plays in perpetuating the behavior itself. Using empirical research from psychology, biology, neuroscience, and economics, this talk examines the factors that lead most of us to stay silent in the face of bad behavior, and how the tendency to stay silent allows such acts to continue. As Martin Luther King Jr. said, “History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.” Finally, this talk will describe how to overcome the very natural human tendency to remain bystanders in the face of evil and practical strategies for resisting such pressure in their own lives.

How much power does the mind have over the body? Can the size of a plate, the presentation of food and our dining partners influence how much we eat? How and when do placebo medicines lead to faster recovery from surgery? Why is a person with a stronger social support network less likely to develop a cold, even when directly injected with a cold virus? How can taking tango lessons, going on a safari and bungee jumping with your romantic partner increase your relationship satisfaction? This talk describes these and other ways in which our thoughts, beliefs and attitudes both directly and indirectly influence our physiology and physical health, and gives clear and specific strategies for improving psychological and physical well-being.